Consumerism: Vegetables plenty, prices are competitive but consumers are less

The vegetable market is plenty. Greens and tomatoes are everywhere to be seen. At this time of the year, when festivities are practically over and that meat and fish have filled the stomachs, a rush was expected for vegetables but this is not the case after a visit by News on Sunday this week at the Vacoas fair on Tuesday, Quatre Bornes on Wednesday and at the Central Market on Thursday.

Tomatoes, which is the reference barometer for prices of other vegetables, were offered at Rs 75 a kilo. Together with the fixed price of potatoes and onions, the market customer has not much to complain if not for a little rise in the price of lettuces and watercress, carrots and cucumbers.

Broccolis and cauliflowers, which are at the end season, are still available with a reasonable price, same with bitter gourd and “pipengaille”. The only star vegetable remains the lady fingers (lalos) at Rs 50 a pound followed closely by squash (patisson). Pumpkin, beetroot and brinjals have fluctuating prices but are not expensive whereas calabash takes the dip changing from sale by pound to unit price of Rs 15 at the Vacoas fair.

Vegetable merchants are nevertheless happy with the current situation. “At this time of the year, there is an overflow of tomatoes on the market but this year the incoming is regular and this keeps the price stable.” The seller of potatoes too is satisfied with the situation- “The Agricultural Marketing Board has taken the necessary precaution this year with potatoes and onions and garlic enough to supply the need of customers.”

On the other side, voices of bad omen say: “Let’s pray the situation remains same. The huge supply of vegetables on the market seems to tell us that the cyclonic season is getting closer.”

Even though the fairs are full of vegetables, we have not seen big crowds, as has been the case a few years ago. Many would refer this phenomenon to shopping malls swallowing customers because of the one-stop-shop facilities: victuals, fruits and vegetables and toys and kitchen accessories, all available under one roof and in only one trip.

Fruits in abundance

We are witnessing the last days of litchis on the market. Consumers have enjoyed to the full of this local fruit with prices varying from Rs 75 to Rs 150 a pound. Watermelons accompanied the litchis. It is a common scene to see customers leaving the market carrying both litchis and watermelons as well as mangoes.

With the litchis gone we have not seen much of local melons whether the thin-skin variety or the rugged ones; no one has been able to give a plausible explanation. Some say it is because of heavy rains and others because of cheaper price of imported ones. We are now expecting a very good harvest of longanes, the fruit-sellers say, unless we have a cyclone and it’s all over. “When you look at the longanes production this year, it gives you a shiver, such is the fear that we may have bad weather in the month to come. It will be a big distress; the longanes are at a mature stage and will be available for consumption in mid-February but generally the perception is that when we witness an overabundance in the production of longanes, it seems to announce a forthcoming cyclone. If this is true the only thing to do is to cry,” the merchant says looking at the sky.

Fruits accompanying the longanes at such times are the avocados whose taste and dietary content are better known to-day than two decades ago. Pineapples too are available as well as a good production of mangoes. In one month we shall expect the red and yellow sweet and sour guavas from our forests. In the meantime apples, oranges, pears and grapes ride the waves of appreciation as quality and price are reasonable.